Surgical instrument



Aug. 4, 1936.

c. 'DRIEST 2,049,898

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Filed April 29, 1935 jig-1. 2.

,Z z' JZ w F1644 FIG-.45 F2640 764.22 H646 1764f. f7 g INVENTOR CAM/PL 55 0/9/56 7 Patented, Au 4, 1936- SURGICAL INSTRUMENT crimes Driest, Marlboro, N. 1.; Oacilie Drlest,

executrix of said Charles Driest, deceased, assignor to Frederick Bishop, Marlboro, N. J.

Application April 29, 1935. Serial No. 18,848

7 Claims.

This invention relates to what are generally known as surgical instruments including surgical knives or tools used in performing various types and kinds of operations by surgeons, dentists,

chiropodists and others as well as tools which may be usedfor manicuring purposes; and the object of the invention is to provide a tool of the class described consisting of a blade or tool supporting handle member with means on the handle '10 member and on each of the tools for adapting one of a number of tools to the handle member and for retaining the same against displacement therefrom, whereby a single handle member may be utilized in conjunction with a plurality of different types of blades, knives or instruments; a further object being to provide means for quickly attaching and detaching the blades withrespcct to the handle member; a further object being to provide a handle member for tools of the class describedwhich is formed from a rod or bar shaped to form parallel handle portions, the

looped end of which is preferably flattened to.

35 ing forms'a'part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a complete tool made 40 according to my invention.

. Fig. 2 is an enlarged, sectional detail view of the blade end of the tool.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a bracketed view. involving inde- 45 pendent figures, identified as a, b, c, d, e, f, a and h, each Figure 4a-4h showing a plan view of a blade which may be employed in the tool.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slight modification; and,

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6-8 of P18. 5.

In carrying my inventioninto effect, I provide a tool supporting body or handle member I0 whichis fashioned from a rod orwire bent to 55 form a crosshead loop ii which is preferably fiatvtened if the wire is round in cross sectional form, and extending from the loop are substantially parallel handle portions l2 and it of sufiicient length to provide the proper grip in the hand and to satisfy distinctive uses to which the in- 6 vention may be applied. For example, in. some cases, a wider or narrower spacing'of the handle portions l2 and It will be found desirable. For the purpose of this description, the free end of the handle portion l2 will be termed a stationary l0 jaw l4, and the free end of the handle portion IS a movable jaw l5, it beingsunderstood that in fact, both jaws i4 and are movable, one: with respect to the other, and sufficient spring action will be provided to normally maintain these jaws 15 in engagement witheach other, especially with the construction shown; in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

The jaw II is preferably flattened at opposite sides in the manner indicated in Fig. 3 .of the 20 drawing, and the inner edge is provided with an elongated groove or channel l6 which opens through the outer end of the jaw l4, and the freeend of this groove terminates at a point inwardly of the jaw l6 as may be seen in Fig. 2 ofthe drawing. At the end of the jaw M, the outer edge thereof is provided with a notch I1. I The jaw l6 comprises an inwardly and angularly extending part, the free end of which has a V-shaped recess i8 which fits over and rests upon the flattened side walls of the jaw II as clearly seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The jaw I5 is also split as seen at I9 to receive one of a number of knives, blades or instruments 20. The handle portion 13 adjacent the jaw I 5' is provided with anotcli 2| arranged in alinement with the under surface lid of saidjaw ii, the surface lid being beveled or inclined-to form a' beveled surface for the purpose of securing thetools 20in position, as later described. The tool" shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing is in'the form of a surgical knife. In Fig. 4 of, the drawing. I have shown at 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20!, 20a and 20h, eight other types of tools which differ in contour but all of the tools have two commonly spaced and arranged elements, namely, projecting tongues 22 to engage the notches l1 and projectinglugs 23 to enter the recesses 2i. The lugs have beveled upper edges 24 which cooperate with the beveled surfaces lie of the jaws i5. Each of the-tools also has extending from the tongues 22 straight side edges which are adapted to. enter the channels l6 and to seat on the bottom walls oi.v said channels in the manner clearly seen inFig. 2 of the drawing, and the lower end portions of so the tools having the lugs 23 thereon will all be substantially of the same width and thickness to provide for the proper engagement of the jaw l5 therewith to tensionally support the tools in connection with the jaws l4 and 15.

In the use of -my improved instrument, the tools -20h are detachably coupled with the handle member in in the following manner. Assuming that the blade 20 is mounted in connection with the handle member as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the thumb and one finger of one hand is placed upon opposite side surfaces of the jaw member 14, substantially centrally "thereof and partially onto the tool supported therein, and the handle portion i3 is then engaged by the fingers of the other hand and forced outwardly away from the handle portion l2 against the spring tension thereof so as to disengage the jaw member l5 from the lower portion of the tool 20 after which the jaw l5 including the handle portion 13 is moved to one side of the tool and then the tool is engaged by the last end and withdrawn from the jaw M by movement longitudinally with respect to said jaw. Another tool may be replaced by rst passing the tool longitudinally of the jaw 4 with the edge 25 thereof in the channel l6 and until the tongue 22 engages the notch I'I. The handle portion I3 is nowengaged by the other hand to move the same outwardly a sumcient distance to permit the jaw ii to pass over the lower portion of the tool, and in this operation, the beveled lower edge I5a. of the jaw portion will engage the'up-v per beveled edge 24 of the lug 23 and tend to draw .the tool downwardly to securely hold the same in connection with the edges l4 and I5. In this connection, it will be understood that the spring pressure of the jaw l5 contributed thereto through the handle portion I3 will be upon the blade. In other words, the beveled outer ends 18 of the jaw l5 do not necessarily engage the jaw" In some types of instruments, it may be desirable to provide a means for securing the handle portions I2 and I3 together when the blade is in position. This may be accomplished in several ways. However, in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing, I have shown a coupling member 26 for this purpose which consists of two blades 26a. and 261) secured together by screws or other devices 21. The side edges of the blades form channels 28 to receive the handle portions l2 and I3. In this construction, the handle portion l3 has an offset or cam portion Illa, note Fig. 5, in connection with which the member 26 frictionally operates to secure the portions l2 and I3 against separation. Aside from the slight changes above referred to, the, structure of the tool shown in I Fig. 5 will be the same as that shown in Fig. 1, and like references will indicate like parts.

- l With a tool of the class under consideration, it will be apparent that various types of surgical or other tools orinstruments may be supplied at a J very nominal cost, thus effecting a material saving to the purchaser.

While each physician or doctor may use several of the handle members as would be necessary in the performance of an operation, it will be apparent that a greater num- {ber' of the tools or blades may be stocked and where the tool and handle member are of unitary construction.

I am aware of the fact that efforts have been made in the past to provide handle portions with detachable and interchangeable blades, but by virtue of the manner of construction of these instruments, they have not proven to be of commercial success, largely due to the application and construction of the handle members employed, and the fact that screws or other devices were required in securing the parts together.

It is one of the distinctive features of my invention that no screws or like devices are necessary in providing the tool or blade engagement with the handle portion. Furthermore, the handle portion and tool are both of a simple construction and of such a structure as to faciliitate sterilization thereof whenever desired. It

will be understood that'the illustration of the tools or blades herein shown is merely suggestive of the possible methods of carrying the invention into effect, and furthermore, it will appear that the exact manner of engaging the blades with the jaw portions as well as the structure of the jaw portions may be varied within the scope of my invention as is expressed in the claims.

It will also be apparent that by constructing a tool according to my invention, the handle and jaw portion thereof may be constructed of any type and kind of metal treated to give the same the desired finish or polish, whereas the tools or .blades may be constructed from the most suitable type of metal, and regardless of the expense of the latter, the same, by virtue of the simplicity and minuteness of the structure thereof can be supplied to the purchaser at a very nominal cost.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A blade supporting member for instruments of the class described comprising a body'formed from an elongated strand of wire bent centrally to form a loop with rods extending from said loop in substantially parallel relation, the free end portions of said rods terminating in blade supporting jaws movable relatively to each other, the loop end portion of said body being fiattened to provide tensional engagement of said jaw ends, .one jaw end being flattened slightly and provided on its inner surface with a longitudinal channel, the other jaw end comprising a part extending angularly in the direction of the first named jaw at a point adjacent the base of said channel, said last named jaw being split .longitudinally in the plane of the first named jaw, the split ends being adapted to normally rest upon the first named jaw at opposite sides of the channel therein, a member adjustably mounted on said rods for supporting the jaw ends thereof in operative position, and one of said rods having a cam portion in connection with which said adjustable member operates.

2. An instrument of the class described comprising a handle member and a tool detachablytudinally of said jaw portion, the other jaw portion being angularly and laterally offset in the direction of the first named jaw portion and split to span the inner end of the tool, the inner end of the tool having a lug projecting in the direction of said offset jaw portion and the front side of which is engaged by said offset jaw portion to retain the tool against displacement from said handle member..

3. An instrument of the class described comprising a handle member and a tool detachably coupled with said handle member, the handle member consisting of two rods terminating at one end in jaw portions movable toward and from each other, one jaw portion having an elongated channel extending throughout the length thereof and in which one side edge of the tool'seats, means on said side edge of the tool engaging the free end of said jaw portion to limit the movement of the tool in one direction longitudinally of said jaw portion, the other jaw portion being angulariy and laterally. offset in the direction of the first named jaw portion and split to span the inner end of the tool, the inner end of the tool having a lug projecting in the direction of said offset jaw portion and the front side of which is engaged by said offset jaw portion to retain the tool against displacement from said handle member, and said offset jaw portion and lug having interengaging beveled surfaces for moving the tool longitudinally of the jaw portions in the coupling engagement of the second named jaw with said tool.

4. An instrument ofthe class described comprising a handle member and a tool detachably coupled with said handle member, the handle member consisting of two rods terminating at one end in jaw portions movable toward and from each other, one jaw portion having an elongated channel extending throughout the length thereof and in which one side edge of the tool seats, means on said side edge of the tool engaging the. free end of said jaw portion to limit the movement of the tool in one direction longitudinally of said jaw portion, the other jaw portion being angularly and laterally, offset in the direction of the first named jaw portion and split to span the inner end of the tool, the inner end of the tool having a lug projecting in the direction of said offset jaw portion and the front side of which is engagedby said offset jaw portion to retain the tool against displacement from said handle member, said offset jaw portion and lug having interengaging beveled surfaces for moving the tool longitudinally of the jaw portions in the coupling engagement of the second named jaw with said tool, and the free end of said offset jaw portion engaging the first named jaw portion when the tool is mounted in said jaw portion.

5. An instrument of the class described comprising a handle member and a tool detachably coupled with said handle member, the handle member consisting of two rods terminating at one end in jaw portions movable toward and from each other, one jaw portion having an elongated offset jaw portion and the front side of which is engaged by said offset jaw portion to retain the tool against displacement from said handle member, said offset jaw portion and lug having interengaging beveled surfaces for moving the tool longitudinally of the jaw portions in the coupling engagement of the second named jaw with said tool, the free end of said offset jaw portion engaging the first named jaw portion when the tool is mounted in said jaw portion, and means slidably mounted on and frictionally engaging said rods inwardly of the jaw portions thereof to retain the jaw portions and tool against accidental displacement.

6. In an instrument of the class described, a handle portion in connection with which one of a number of different tools having a common coupling portion is adapted to be mounted, the cou- 20 pling portion of each tool consisting of a projecting tongue arranged on one side edge of the tool intermediate its endsand a lug at the inner end of the tool and projecting in the direction of the opposite side edge thereof, said handle portion comprising a single strip of material folded to form two relatively movable rod parts terminat-- ing at their free ends in tool engaging jaws, one of said jaws having an elongated channel in which the first named side edge of the tool is adapted to seat with the projecting tongue engaging the free outer end of said jaw, the otherjaw extending angularly and laterally in the direction of the first named jaw and being split to span the shank of the tool at the inner end thereof, the second named jaw engaging the front side of said lug at said inner end of the tool to move the tool longitudinally of the first named jaw to securely retain the tool against displacement from both jaws, and the free ends of the split portion of the second named jaw overlying opposed side surfaces of the first named jaw.

7. In an instrument of the class described, a handle portion in connection with which one of a number of different tools having a common coupling portion is adapted to be mounted the coupling portion of each tool consisting of a projecting tongue arranged on one side edge of the tool intermediate its ends and a lug at the inner end of the tool and projecting in the direction of the opposite side edge thereof, said handle portion comprising a single strip of material folded to form two relatively movable rod parts terminating at their free ends in tool engaging jaws, one of said jaws having an elongated channel in which the first named side edge of the tool is adapted to seat with the projecting tongue engaging the free outer end of said jaw, the other jaw extending angularly in the direction of the 60 first named jaw and being split to span the shank of the tool at the inner end thereof, the second named jaw engaging the lug at said inner end of the tool to move the tool longitudinally of the first named jaw to securely retain the tool against dis- 6 placement from both jaws, the free ends of the split portion of the second named jaw overlying opposed side surfaces of the first named jaw, and means'including a cam portion on one of said rod parts for retaining said tool and jaws in firm engagement with each other.

CHARLES DRIEST. 

